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KosovoWhat makes Bulgaria, “Bulgaria”? The culture? The mountains and rivers? The people? On this 5-day tour, you’ll see it all…
From the Rhodope mountains to the monasteries at Rila and Bachkovo, the quaint villages of Gela and Shiroka to some of the most incredible ancient towns Bulgaria has to offer – Plovdiv, the European Capital of Culture, Melnik the Capital of Wine and more.
All in one 5-day tour with a friendly and helpful, fully licensed local guide to help you get the history behind the beauty.
We can easily tailor this tour around your dates and interests – and send you a free, personalized quote.
Let us know if you would like to start and finish in different cities, add or remove an attraction, add a day for rest.
You choose the places and the pace!
5 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #1: Essential Bulgaria: Unveiling the Best in a 5-Day Adventure
Sofia – Rila Monastery, Boyana Church, Plovdiv, Bachkovo Monastery, the Rose Valley, Kazanlak, the Thracian Tombs, Shipka Pass and Church, Etar Complex, Veliko Tarnovo, Devetashka Cave
DAY 1: SOFIA
→ Airport transfer to your hotel OR pick up from your hotel
→ Walking city tour in the morning (2-3 hours)
Visit the: St. Nedelya square; Nedelya church; St Sofia Monument; St. Petka Church; The old Serdika Ruins; The mineral springs; The council of ministers; The Rotunda “Saint George”; The Presidency; The mosque “Banya Bashi”; The National archaeology museum (not going inside); The National Bank of Bulgaria; Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Square; The King’s palace; The Russian church; St. Sofia Church; The National Theater; The Monument of the “unknown soldier”; The Alexander Nevski Memorial Church; The city garden.
→ Free time in Sofia at the afternoon
Overnight in Sofia
DAY 2: RILA MONASTERY AND BOYANA CHURCH
Depart from Sofia in the morning
→ Transfer to the Rila Monastery (2-2.5 hours)
→ Guided tour of the monastery
Visit the Rila Monastery museum and complex
→ Transfer to Boyana near Sofia (2 hours)
Visit Boyana Church
Overnight in Sofia
DAY 3: BACHKOVO MONASTERY AND PLOVDIV, BULGARIA
→ Depart from Sofia after breakfast
→ Transfer to Bachkovo Monastery (2:30 hours)
Explore the monastery complex of the second big monastery in Bulgaria
→ Free time for lunch in the monastery area
→ Transfer to Plovdiv
→ Walking city tour of Plovdiv
Visit The Old Town (dating from the 19th century); the exterior of the Ethnographic museum; Balabanov house; the Ancient theatre of Philippopolis; the Ancient stadium of Philipopolis; the St. Constantin and Elena church; the Djumaya Mosque and square; the building of the Regional Historical Museum; Saint Ludvik Cathedral; the Agara (Marketplace); the famous main pedestrian street; “The Trap” neighbourhood and Nebet Tepe.
→ Free time in Plovdiv in the afternoon
Overnight in Plovdiv
DAY 4: KAZANLAK AND ETAR COMPLEX
→ Transfer to the Rose Valley and Kazanlak area
Explore the Thracian Tomb in Kazanlak and visit a Rose distillery
→ Transfer to Gabrovo (2 hours)
Visit the Etar ethnographic complex
→ Transfer to Veliko Tarnovo (30 min)
→ Free time in Veliko Tarnovo for dinnerOvernight in Veliko Tarnovo
DAY 5: VELIKO TARNOVO AND DEVETASHKA CAVE
→ Depart after breakfast from your hotel in Veliko Tarnovo
→ City tour of Veliko Tarnovo (1-1,5 hours)
Visit the Tsarevets Fortress and the famous craft street
→ Transfer to Devetahska cave (1.5 hours)
→ Explore the Natural landmark
→ Transfer to Sofia (2.5 hours)End of the tour
5 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #2: Bulgaria Tour Including the Black Sea Coast
Sofia – Veliko Tarnovo – Varna – Balchik and the Black Sea Coast – Nessebar – Sozopol – Plovdiv
DAY 1: SOFIA
→ Walking city tour in the morning (2-3 hours)
Visit the: St. Nedelya square; Nedelya church; St Sofia Monument; St. Petka Church; The old Serdika Ruins; The mineral springs; The council of ministers; The Rotunda “Saint George”; The Presidency; The mosque “Banya Bashi”; The National archaeology museum (not going inside); The National Bank of Bulgaria; Knyaz Alexander Battenberg Square; The King’s palace; The Russian church; St. Sofia Church; The National Theater; The Monument of the “unknown soldier”; The Alexander Nevski Memorial Church; The city garden.
→ Transfer to Veliko Tarnovo after lunch (3 hours)
→ Free time in Veliko Tarnovo for dinner
Overnight in Veliko Tarnovo
DAY 2: VELIKO TARNOVO AND VARNA
→ Visit the Tsarevets fortress and the craft street of Veliko Tarnovo after breakfast
→ Transfer to Varna (3 hours)
→ City tour of Varna and free time
Visit the “The Dormition of the mother of God” Cathedra; The Roman Thermaes, St. Nikolas church The sea garden, The port, The main shopping street.
→ Free time in Varna
Overnight in Varna
DAY 3: BALCHIK AND KALIAKRA CAPE
→ Transfer to the Caliakra cape in the morning (1 hour)
→ Explore the beautiful landmark
Visit a local snail farm
→ Free time for lunch
→ Transfer to Balchik (30 min)
→ Visit the Balchik Palace
→ Transfer back to Varna (40min)
Overnight in Varna
DAY 4: NESSEBAR AND SOZOPOL
→ Transfer to Nessebar (1.5 hours)
→ City tour of the old town
Visit the Nessebar Archaelogical museum, the “Hagia Sophia” church, the church of Christ Pantocrator; the church of St Stephen, the church of the Holy Archangels Michael and Gabriel, the church of St John Aliturgetos.
→ Free time for lunch→ Transfer to Sozopol
→ Short walk in the old town
Overnight in Sozopol Area
DAY 5: PLOVDIV
→ Transfer to Plovdiv (3 hours)
→ Walking Plovdiv city tour (2-3 hours)
Visit The Old town from the 19th century; the Ethnographic museum (outside); Balabanov house; the Ancient theatre of Philippopolis; the Ancient stadium of Philipopolis, The St Constantin and Elena church, The Djumaya mosque and square, The building of the Regional Historical Museum, Saint Ludvik cathedral, Agara (Marketplace), the Main walking street, “The Trap” neighborhood; Nebet tepe)
→ Free time for lunch
→ Transfer to Sofia (2 hours)
END OF THE TOUR
What your tour price includes
- The ideal local guide – your cheerful guide can translate local signs and interpret your conversations with local people as well as offer deep insight into the culture and history.
- A personally crafted experience– you can easily tailor your tour to start and finish in places which will line you up to continue your travels in the Balkans. You can add stops, remove sites and more.
- No hidden costs – we’re always upfront about the price of your tour. Get a clearly quoted rate first – and know that there are never any hidden fees.
- Book a tour for a larger group – we think that a smaller group creates a more personal experience, but we also often handle large group bookings of up to 50 people.
- A spacious vehicle and full control – you’ll be travelling in a spacious, modern air-conditioned vehicle. You control the music and the temperature inside.
Chat about what you want from your Bulgaria tour
Customize your Bulgaria tour itinerary today by sending us a quick email or filling in the form below.
We are always happy to provide free, no-obligation quotes and any further details you might need.
Benefits
Private tour! No other tourists!
Friendly local tour guide
Starting point and time at your convenience
Breaks and photo stops at your convenience
Includes
- Licensed local tour guide
- Entrance for the museums (upon request)
Excludes
- Food and drinks
- Tips and gratuities
- Personal expenses
Good to Know
Wear comfortable clothes and shoes is recommended
Don’t forget your camera
More multi-day Bulgaria itineraries
Essence of Bulgaria: 48-Hour Adventure
2-Day Bulgaria Tour Itinerary. Visit Plovdiv, Veliko Tarnovo and the Rose Valley
The Bulgaria Long Weekend Tour
3 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #1: Rila monastery – Melnik – Plovdiv – The Rose Valley
3 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #2: Sofia – Veliko Tarnovo – The Rose Valley – Plovdiv
4 Historic Towns in 4 Days
4-day private tour in Bulgaria including Rila monastery, Melnik, Plovdiv, Koprivshtitsa, Kazanlak and Veliko Tarnovo
One Week Bulgaria Exploration
7 DAYS BULGARIA TOUR #1: A Journey through Rich Heritage
10 Day Bulgaria Tour Itinerary – The Complete Tour
Explore Bulgaria in 10 days and dive into the local life and traditions
14 Day Bulgaria Tour Itinerary – The Ultimate Tour
Know Bulgaria in Details – 14 days itinerary
Balkan tours including Bulgaria:
28 Days Grand Balkan Tour
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Slovenia
Complete Balkan Tour: 21 Days around the Balkans
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina – Slovenia
East Balkans Exploration: 21 Day Balkan Tour
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania
Pan-Balkan Discovery: A 16-Day Expedition Across 8 Cultural Treasures
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania – Montenegro – Bosnia and Herzegovina
Balkan Panorama: A 16-Day Balkan Expedition
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania
A Cultural Journey Across Five Balkan Nations – 14 Days Balkan Tour
Bosnia – Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia
Timeless Balkans: 14-Day Balkan Tour Exploring Ancient Roots and Modern Charms
Bosnia and Herzegovina – Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria
Balkan Panorama: A Comprehensive 14-Day Tour of the Balkans
Bosnia – Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo
Bulgarian and Romanian Tapestry: A 10-Day Adventure
Bulgaria – Romania
Balkan Trio Adventure: A 10-Day Journey in Bulgaria, Romania, and Serbia
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria
Jewels of the Balkans: A 10-Day Treasure Hunt of History and Nature
Romania – Bulgaria – North Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania
Four Nations Escape: 7 Days of Cultural Discovery
Bulgaria – Macedonia – Kosovo – Albania
A Weeklong Eastern European Tapestry – 7 Day Balkan Tour
Serbia – Romania – Bulgaria
All Balkan tours
Take a look at our complete list of Balkan private tours
More about Sofia
Visitors to Sofia will have plenty to tour, in the city and in its surroundings, and plenty to get acquainted with, from modern sites to ancient historic ones. The National Art Gallery, the most important museums, the mineral springs, and the surrounding mountain hills form a patchwork of attractive features worth touring. The city was named after Saint Sophia, thus Day of Sofia is celebrated on September 17, the day celebrating Saint Sophia and her three martyr daughters. The area, like the whole territory of Bulgaria, is dotted by archeological remains from ancient Roman times.
The rich history and the growing attractiveness for people who find abundant education and work opportunities are reflected in its logo: ”It grows but never ages.” The climate of the area is moderate continental and ensures comfort throughout the year. Aficionados eager to attend cultural events will enjoy Sofia’s vast events palette to choose from.
More about Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Turnovo is a symbol of Bulgarian history. It is replete with historical buildings of old periods, and also has a number of churches and chapels. The officially functioning chapels and churches on its territory are ten, and there is also a monastery. There are several churches which do not function, as they have been declared cultural monuments. Among them should be mentioned the Saints Holy Martyrs church, the Saint Dimitar of Thessaloniki church, the Saints Peter and Paul church, and the Saint George church. There were a lot of relics of different saints brought to the town in different periods, and there used to be an icon of Saint Dimitar of Thessaloniki, not made by human hands, of the so called acheiropoieton type. The icon was brought to the town by the tsars Asen and Petar. There was also a piece of the Holy Cross which remained for a century.
More about Rila Monastery
Rila Monastery proudly ranks in the top sights of Bulgaria which should be visited to form an idea of the wealth of Bulgarian history and worthy culture. It was declared a national historical reserve in 1976, and has been under the aegis of UNESCO since 1983. The monastery keeps precious manuscripts, old printed books and ancient documents. The museum is precious for a collection of ancient objects, icons, weapons, coins, etc.
In the fourteenth century the monastery was renovated by Hrelyo, a local ruler; the medieval tower with a chapel was named after him. The chapel is precious with the fourteenth century murals on its walls.
The central temple of the monastery complex is the “Nativity of the Holy Virgin” church. It stands in the place of a medieval church, built by Hrelyo, which existed in that place by 1834. The church murals were painted by renowned icon painters of those times.
More about Plovdiv
For aficionados of history and the fascinating period of the Roman empire, Plovdiv has a host of information and monuments to offer. The Archeological Museum boasts a building almost two centuries old. It houses precious finds of different periods of Plovdiv’s past.
It is a vivid experience to visit the Ethnographic Museum, with over 40,000 exhibits which tell a lot of the people’s livelihood, crafts practiced, fabrics woven, furniture made, and many more objects which are complemented by photos.
Those interested in natural sciences can marvel at the exhibits in the Natural Science Museum. In the basement is the largest fresh water aquarium in Bulgaria, showing off over 40 species of decorative fishes and also some amphibians.
The Museum of Aviation is in the vicinity of the city, 12 kilometers away. The exhibits there total about 6,800, and the aircrafts exhibited are 59. There are two internal and one external exhibitions.
